VW Touareg Maintenance and Repair

Comments

"I have been evaluating the Lexus GX and the T-Reg and based on the professional reviews and owner comments I'm convinced the GX is the better buy."

I went through the same deliberations a year ago. The Lexus dealer and the VW dealer were right next to each other, so I could compare the two side by side. I liked the exterior looks of the T-reg better then the GX 470, but the Lexus had the more attractive interior. I bought the Lexus Gx470, and took delivery of it on 10/01/2004. I'm convinced I made the right choice. To date, my GX has had nothing go wrong..not a squeak or a rattle, no recalls...exceptional quality inside and out.

A few things on the VW scared me away. Two of the ones I wanted to test drive, displayed a "tire failure" warning light when we started them up. The salesman quickly changed the subject and switched to another vehicle each time..but I wondered why that was happening. Reading on these forums told me that those tire sensors that VW was using were not yet ready for prime time.

I also experienced the transmission lag in acceleration that others have mentioned here. I just did a quick check on the value now of my 2004 Lexus, compared to a 2004 Touareg similar to what I would have purchased. There is no doubt about which holds it's value better.

Didn't realize this was a problem caused by a defect - saw the crack in mine many miles ago and thought (since it was on the passenger side) a passenger caused it. The problems with my $53K Touareg V8 keep compounding......and guess what? On top of it, my dealer wrecked my VW delivering it to the service bay once my 20K servicing was done. So, it's to small claims court for me too since the dealer will not compensate me for diminished value - the auto will never be the same!

I'm with you 100% on never buying the VW Touareg again - I think they brought it to market too soon in my estimation. Would like to know how you got a new set of tires? My Touareg is at 20K and the service department told me that Touaregs wear tires sooner than most SUV's - now why didn't they tell me that when I purchased? DUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHH. So many problems - if gas weren't $3/gallon and SUV's weren't hard to sell, I would be trading for a Lexus GX 470 in a heart beat. Or, bring back my Saab Story!!! Purchased my Touareg from Tom Wood VW in Indy - they wrecked my Touareg when it was being serviced - not a nice experience with them - virtually no customer service. Am driving around Indy with a sign in my car that says "Never Buy A Tom Wood VW" - we'll see if that gets a response - nothing else has.

Agreed ... shopping for new tires myself at 28K miles (all highway driving). Quite honestly I haven't been that thrilled with the TReg since I bought it. All of the problems I've had have been fixed, but I continue to have warning signals go off about flat or defective tires when repeated trips to tire dealers (several different dealers I might add) indicate there is no problem. I left Lexus for this vehicle and can guarantee that I will be going back as soon as I can.

I am just as much trouble with my touareg. I bought mine in Oct 2003 and it is a V6. Since then I have had numerous visits to the dealer. First off, the footlights would not shut off when I would turn the car off. Also noted was the picture of the car on the dashboard that would not disappear. I informed the dealer and they could not figure out the problem. About 2 weeks into owning the damn car (and me reading the entire owner's manual to fix the thing myself), the dealer realized the trunk door latch was broken. Second, my tires were wearing faster than normal and I was told the alignment was bad. I was given new tires as a result, however, when I asked if this could happen again, I was told yes and they were unsure what VW would do in the future. Third, the tire pressure light goes on and off at any time it feels like it. I was told this was a malfunction that just happens when you have a lot of computer options. It came on after a tire rotation and oil change one time and the dealer said "don't worry, it will reset itself and go off". Fourth, my radio has mysteriously stopped working for about a day. In the morning, the radio was quiet despite attempts at changing the station. Then that night, it worked without any problems. Fifth, the car has actually been dead on two occasions and has left me stranded. I was told by the dealer that the battery in the Touareg can't support the car and the computer modules. I was told there was nothing that could be done about this as the battery was fully charged. I was told this was a mistake by VW and I would have to live with it. Oh, I was also told to not drive in the city as this makes the problem much worse. Sixth, recently I had items missing from the menu on the main screen--specifically the comfort module. I was told that they aren't sure how that happened, but simply reseting the car made it return. Seventh (and finally for now), my CD player would not work. It stated a CD was in, however when trying to play the CD, the radio would beep and say no CD. Again the car was "reset" and the CD player worked.I find this car to be the biggest piece of [non-permissible content removed] ever made. I unfortunately am over the mileage for the lemon law in Maine (I have 27,000miles on the car). I really think things are getting worse in my car the longer I have the damn thing. Any suggestions from anyone? I need HELP!

Well, VW owners, join the crowd. VW has had major and minor quality problems constantly since the 1970s. They still have not learned how to address them. I was a VW owner for almost 30 years and sold them, too. They were fun cars to drive, but boy, they drove you crazy. VW itself is in denial and gives customers a hard time.I switched to Subaru and it is a world of difference as far as quality and they definately are fun to drive. I say that when the Germans dumped "Farhvergnugen", the Japanese grabbed it and along with their quality, they have winning cars.My advice after 30 years of owning/selling VWs: Stay away from them!!It's only going to get worse - the new head of VW is threatening 10,000-30,000 job cuts, lower wages in Germany and lower prices from its suppliers. This will add up to even worse quality coming out of Germany. By the way, don't blame Jetta problems on Mexico. My experience has been Mexican built cars were usually Better than German built. The things that failed were parts made in Germany.VW is now trying to take on M-B with over-priced vehicles that still break down!! :lemon:

Ask the dealer to refer to technical service bulletin 0104-15. This hesitation problem is a very common safety issue that VW is aware of however fails to acknowledge because there is not a "fix" at this time. Mine has been in the shop 4 times for "hesitation upon acceleration" and the dealer reprogrammed the ECM for hesitation software 3 times and then states there is nothing wrong with my vehicle on the last visit. The National Highway and Transportation Dept - Office of Defects Investigation site (www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain/results.cfm) has 78 complaints filed against the Touareg, 26 of which indicate this hesitation problem in one form or another. Apparently there will have to be fatalities before VW will be forced to acknowledge this. In my case, I have been "stalled" in oncoming traffic after pulling out with what I or anyone would consider a reasonable margin of safety between me and any oncoming vehicle. Traffic came to a screeching halt to avoid colliding with my vehicle. This happens inconsistently but is very frequent (you just will never know when!) I have also been nearly "rear-ended" when my vehicle accelerated slightly and then hesitated. This is only one of many unresolved problems. If any others are experiencing this same problem I would encourage you to file a complaint with the above mentioned site. If enough are filed maybe VW would be forced to face this very serious problem before someone is seriously injured.

I am experiencing the same problem with my TORTURE REG. I just got it back from the dealer for a weeks worth of repairs and problems. I was setting at a red light and the light changed and I stepped on the gas, but the car did not go. It took me 4 times to restart the car before I got it to stay on. I called the customer service Mgr. and he had me bring the car back down to put in on the computer. So I sat for 1 hour in the waiting room. They came back with NO FAULTS on the computer, so there was nothing to fix. And now again my TORTURE REG is hesitateing when I accelerate. We have a call in to VW of America about all the problems with this thing. Still waiting for an answer from them.

My Touraeg "died" on me today. The vehicle completely stopped working and stalled. Luckily we were within our community after driving around for few hours. Had to have the vehicle towed to the dealer. Th vehicle would start, but would stall or to stop running in a few seconds.

My "Torture Reg" died on me today. The vehicle started to hesitate then stopped all together. The vehicle would start back-up but then stall-out. I had to have it towed to the dealer. After reflecting back, I realized that the vehichle would hesitate at times. I thought nothing of it until today. After, reading this website and seeing other are experiencing the same issue I beginning to get seriously upset over this. Can't wait to see what the dealer says!

I was able to drive my 2004 Torture Reg to the dealer were they found "no fault reading. But the next week the engine light come on. The reading was the MASS AIR FLOW METER. They replaced the meter. It's been a week and the car still will idle a little ruff and shift harsh, but no engine light has come on yet.

I did contact a lawyer about the lemon law in our state. It is being review right now.Good luck with Torture Reg.

Besides all of my 'normal' problems that everyone has stated so far on this forum I have some new ones. Last month I noticed that the 'chrome' on the exterior trim is discolored, almost in an iridized pattern. Took it to my local car wash to blame them, but they tell me they use purified water and have never had a problem. I called VW Customer Service and they told me I would have to bring it to my local dealer. That no one has ever complained about this problem. Has anyone else had this happen to their T-Reg? I broke my leg a month ago and have not been able to bring it in for service yet. But I will be tomorrow.

Also, besides the whistling noises that they still have never figured out. But only happens in the winter. This winter my car has a ticking noise on start up for the first 10-15 minutes and now I swear it was yodeling last night. I guess I could start a one man band, but it is really annoying. This yodeling was mainly when I took my foot off the gas and coasted. If anyone can help me that would be great.

One more thing. The trunk latch, just for the window/glass portion does not close the first time, or the second sometimes.. they've already replaced it once. Anyone else have this problem?

:sick: I have had almost all the same problems that have been stated on this board. We bought the Treg in 11/04 and have nothing but headaches since. We've had the tire pressure trouble, the radio not working, tires wearing too quickly. We also had the car unable to shift gear and appeared to be "STUCK" in 2nd gear. Those are just a few of the trouble. And parts ... well I've had a motor for the passenger side mirror that has been on order since 11/04 (it is now 1/1/06). Still no sign of it.

I tell people - it's a gorgeous car, nice to drive, BUT DON'T BUY ONE!

If I can please reach out for some advice here...I am seriously considering purchasing a 2004 V6 Touareg (Premium 2 package) with 17,500 miles. I have read about so many issues in this forum that I'm really hesitating. I love the look and feel of the vehicle and will be using it for some long distance traveling. So here are my questions:1. This car is certified by the dealership. Would a dealership certify a car that has had prior issues?2. The Carfax History is clean (1 owner, personal use, no accidents, etc.) How reliable are these? I know they won't list VW recalls and don't know if this particular vehicle has ever been recalled.3. I negotiated to a $29,000 + TTT. Does this sound fair?4. Finally - the other SUV I'm considering is a pre-owned 2004 Acura MDX Touring. Although I find it boring in comparison, I do think it's more reliable.

I'm really stressed about this and would appreciate any insight. Thanks!!!

"The original manufacturer of the vehicle is using their dealer network to inspect the car, determine if it is worth certifying, then offering support for the vehicle for a period of time beyond the original warranty." (link)

Try 16,000 miles! That's all I got out of my 19" tires. These were supposed to be an optional upgrade too. The larger wheels and tires were worth about $1200.The car continues to lurch forward as I come to stops. The dealer says "some of them just do that" Lucky me...I got one that just does it.Resale value on this piece of crap is falling faster than my 1995 Range Rover lemon.I miss my Hummer H2.

2005 Passat. Same problem with the chrome as your toureg. Hand washed since new. Three months old it was washed through an automatic car wash. It was at that point that the chrome discolored. I tried different polishes to remedy the problem with no success. It is not chrome, but some sort of anodized aluminum to look like chrome. Not all the chrome discolored. I brought the car to my local dealership. Guess what...no one has ever heard of this problem there as well!!The dealership inspected the trim and agreed that replacement would be covered under warranty. I had to wait three months for the "special clips" that hold the trim to arrive.My wife went away for three days, and gave us the opportunity to leave the car at the dealership for three days. The car was picked up and driven home. When I arrived home it became apparent that the spent "special clips" were made of copper and sharp shavings were covering the interior of the vehicle. After further inspection of the installation it became apparent that the trim was forced onto the car in some areas with marks left from pliers. The rubber trim around the windows are caught behind the new trim in area that make the rubber trim look like a roller coaster. The one upper piece of trim looks like it was bent in order to fit the car and than bashed in to take the bend back out. When I returned to the dealership the next day they quickly vacuumed out most of the copper shards, and advised me that the passenger side did not look as bad as the drivers side. I was also advised that I would have to talk to the service manager regarding the poor job, and that she would contact me at the beginning of the week. It has now been five days with no call from the dealer. I have an opportunity to take that car in today and will post what the outcome is.

I have a 2004 TDI. I bought it certified with 26K miles on it, and the original tires. The steering wheel shakes between 80 and 86 MPH. Just enough to be aggravating. Re-balanced the old tires twice at two different places. Put new tires ($1100), and have had the balance checked on them twice (in two different places). No matter what, it drives like a dream except for the exact range of speed mentioned above. Any comments???? I plan to get up with the factory rep.

Having the same problem with 2004 V8. Been to dealer 3 times and they say they find no problem--which is no surprise as that seems to be their answer to all complaints. Call to VW gets same answer--there is no problem with vehicle per dealer. How would the dealer know as they have never driven the vehicle even tho complaint is a driveability issue. Can you confirm that website as I am having difficulty accessing.

Could your vibration be from the roof racks? You know, the ones you paid $1500 for that vibrate and make noise like hell's a comin' at about 75 to 85mph? you know, the ones that (VERBATIM) "if you take 'em off, they won't do that anymore". Proud owner of an '05 tour-rag V8 that I am, have been doing a little research....this is what I've learned.

A...everyone has tire issuesB...pretty much everyone has tire issues AND acceleration issuesC...fewer have tire, acceleration, AND TPMS issuesD...fewer still have tire, acceleration, TPMS AND electrical issuesE...only the luckiest have tire, acceleration, TPMS, electrical and $1500 roof rack issues.

BUT>>>> I know how to solve the roof rack issue. Simply turn the heat up, if it's working, flip the sun roof up, (not open) and the noise goes away because the flipped up sunroof acts like a wind deflector. However, if you didn't purchase the "sunroof for stopping the roof rack noise" system, I think you're screwed. If you "got up with" the factory rep, or still have plans to, you can give him my solution to all those terribly annoying roof rack problems for free. Finally, the biggest thing I have learned throughout the gripe boards is this......